ISLAMABAD Nov 19: Opposition parties which had announced to launch a country-wide anti-Musharraf movement after Ramazan appear to be undecided on their line of action and the schedule of campaign.

According to sources close to some opposition leaders, both the major opposition alliances - the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy - have so far failed to hold meetings of their preliminary parties to discuss plans for cooperation.

The MMA is reportedly divided on the issue of launching such a movement and one of its components, JUI(Samiul Haq), has not been attending meetings of the Alliance for about a year and another component, Jamiat Ahle Hadith of Prof Sajid Mir, is now a declared ally of the PML-N.

Similarly, a powerful section in the JUI(F), a major partner of the MMA, is strongly in favour of Maulana Fazlur Rahman and NWFP Chief Minister Durrani attending the Nov 25 meeting of the National Security Council.

The PPP, a major component of the ARD, on the other hand is still finding it difficult to accept the idea of taking the MMA along in the anti-Musharraf campaign and some of its top ranking leaders are outspokenly against such a move.

The MMA has not been able to give a timetable for its movement and is expected to take a clear line when its supreme council meets in Karachi on Nov 24. There rumours about a fizzling out of an anti- Musharraf campaign even before it starts its take-off amid indications that Gen Musharraf may decide to quit for the army chief's office by Dec 31.

Knowledgeable circles which are of the opinion that the president may surprise the nation by shedding his uniform base their contention on the fact that Gen Musharraf had withheld giving his assent to the bill passed by both houses of parliament last month allowing him to retain the COAS post beyond Dec 31.

They claimed that Gen Musharraf had been advised by a group of retired army generals not to go back on his public commitment to retain his COAS uniform and he might decide to act on the advice.

MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said that the reason to confront Gen Musharraf would not go away with his stepping down as the COAS since the nation would continue to oppose with his pro-US policies.

Talking to Dawn by telephone, he claimed that MMMA had been in constant touch with the ARD and would be inviting its leadership as a first step to a united anti-Musharraf platform to attend public rallies that would be held all over the country from Nov 28.

Responding to a question regarding doubts about the launching of the movement, he said "there was no going back and no-one would be allowed to sabotage the campaign".

He said, even if Gen Musharraf changes his mind and opts for giving up army post, people would still need to be educated about what he called his unethical coalition with the US,

He said Pakistan's continued silence over the ongoing genocide of Iraqis by the US air and ground forces was unacceptable to the people. When asked why had his alliance failed to speak on the happenings in Iraq and Palestine, he said: "We registered our protest country-wide last Friday and will hold protest rallies next Friday as well."

Replying to a question, the JI chief said that the Nov 24 meeting of the MMA would consider, among other things if Maulana Fazlur Rahman and NWFP chief minister Akram Durrani should attend the NSC meeting.

He warned that any effort to undermine the MMA led provincial governments would strengthen people's resolve o to rise against the military-led government at the centre.